A film on poet Ho Xuan Huong to be made(August 14, 2003)

Director Doan Le and actress Thu Hang who plays Ho Xuan Huong's role.

Female director Doan Le is making a two episode television film about Vietnam’s master of poetry in Chinese-transcribed Vietnamese Ho Xuan Huong with the aim of recalling one of the most outstanding literary figures of the capital city on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long, the ancient name of Hanoi.

Doan Le was one of the first Vietnamese actresses and was also scriptwriter of many films, including the very famous one named ‘Lang Vu Dai Ngay Ay’ (The Then Vu Dai Village). Many of the films scripted by Doan Le had a focal point on women who were both nostalgic, pure and modern, protesting. ‘The Death of Ho Xuan Huong’, the name of the film, also features such characteristics of a woman.

Ho Xuan Huong in the film is depicted as a master of literature of Thang Long. The then insignificant life did not accept her and she could not accept that life. To be more correct, her talent was ahead of her time so much as that no one could catch up with her to be her sympathisers. She did not accept what was considered imperfect, she dealt with the problem by death, a desperate way of resolvement. The film mainly features famous poetess Ho Xuan Huong’s spirit of resistance to the bitter end.

One of the reasons to bring Ho Xuan Huong on screen, the director said "On the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long, I want to recall one of the once most outstanding literary figures of literature of the capital city. Ho Xuan Huong has recently been staged on cheo (popular opera), and yet such a special image is only to be on screen now, I think, it’s too late."

The director also disclosed that Ho Xuan Huong in the film will be a smart, charming and sharp character. Actors and actresses for the film are quite new to the audiences.